The Louisiana Democrat., 1887-10-19
THE NAN.GIN-TSIN.
Description of the Largest Opium Do
in tho Chinese Empire.


in tho Chinese Empire.
The Nan-gin-tsin is the greatest
opium den in China 1t is situated in
the French concession in Shanghai,
within a stones throw Of the wall OF
the native city, within which no opium
shops are supposed to exist The
throngs visiting it represent all sta
tions of life, from the coolie to the
wealthy merchant or the small man
DARN. 1t is with difficulty that one
gets inside through the crowds Of
people hanging round the door. Those
who have not the requisite number of
copper cash to procure the baneful
pipe watch with horrible wistfulness
each OF the more affiuent pass in with
nervous, hurried step, or totter out
wearing that peculiar dazed express
sion which comes after the smoker 8
craving has been satisfied and his
transient pleasure has passed away.
One requires strong stomach to
stand the sickening fumes with which
the air inside is thickened. The clouds
OF smoke, the dim light from the
numerous colored lamps. the numbers
of reclining forms with distorted faces
bent over the small flames at which
the pipes are lighted, cause the novice
sickening sensation.
But as soon as the eye becomes ac-
customed to the scene it is noticed that
the place is got up on an expensive
scale. In the centre of the lower room
hangs one of the finest of Chinese
lamps, the ceiling is of richly carved
wood, while the painted walls are
thickly inlaid with peculiarly marked
marble, which gives the idea Of unfin-
ished landscape sketches. Numerous
doors on all sides lead to the smokers
apartments. In the outer portion of
The building stands counter covered
with little boxes of the drug ready for
smoking, which dozen assistants are
kept busy handing out to the servants
who wait upon the habitues of the
place. The average daily receipts are
said to be about f2O0. The smoking
apartments ARE divided into four
classes. In the cheapest are coolies,
who pay about fourpencc for their
smoke. In the dearest the smoke
costs about sevenpence. The drug
supplied in each class is much tho
same both in quality and quantity; it
is the difference in the pipes that regu-
ates the price.
The rooms also are furnished ac-
cordinS to class. In the most expen-
sive the lounge upon which the
smoker reclines is of fine velvet, with
pillows of the same material; the
frames of each couch are inlaid with
mother-of-pearl and jade, and the
whole air of these rooms is one of SEN
suous luxury. There is also q num-
bcr OF private rooms. In the poorer
section will be seen many wearers of
the tattered yellow and gray robes Of
Buddhist and Tayist priests. Women
form fair proportion of the smokers.
Tho common belief is that the opium
sleep is attended by mild pleasure
ble delirlum, with brief glances of
Elysium; but. this Is the exception, not
the rule. People smoke to satisfy tho
craving begotten of previous indul-
gence. There is accommodation for one
hundred and fifty smokers at time,
and there is seldom vacancy very
long. The streams of smokers goes
IN from early morning till midnight,
when the place closes; the clouds of
smoke go up incessantly all day long.
North China Herald,